CULINARY ADVENTURE |
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| Penang stands out as a heaven for food lovers. Known as a hawkers' paradise, the ubiquitous food stalls serve endless varieties of mouth-watering Malay, Chinese and Indian dishes that reflect the different culinary traditions of the multiracial population. Beginning in the 19th Century, the hawker food culture developed when itinerant peddlers sold food to the largely migrant labourers from China, India, Java and other parts of Asia. Today, Penang is so popular for its hawker delights that favourites like Hokkien Mee , Penang Laksa and Char Koay Teow are sold all over the country. In the Chinese restaurants, Cantonese, Szechuan, Hokkien, Teochew and Hainanese dishes are served daily. For authentic Malay cuisine, Nasi Lemak - a popular breakfast comprising coconut rice, egg, chilli paste and fried anchovies is a must-try. As is Rojak , a mouth-watering mixture of fruits, vegetables, groundnuts and cuttlefish in a sweet, spicy sauce. Heading the Indian temptations is a spread of breads like naan, puree, chapatti and roti prata, served with thick curry or chutney; unbeatable with the tarik (hot, sweet, stretched tea)! You might want to emulate the locals - the only utensil used is the right hand - for a different dining experience. The Indian Muslims have their own unique Nasi Kandar which is basically hot, fragrant white rice served with an eye-popping array of spicy meat and curry side dishes. Or you can have roti canai with spicy lentil curry instead. Just look for long queues of people at the many 24-hour outlets and you can't go wrong. The island's unique mix of races means that Japanese, Italian, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian and American favourites are also easily available at restaurants and bistros around the island. Desserts, snacks and tea time treats are memorable, too. Chendol a refreshing dessert made with shaved ice, coconut milk, brown sugar, red beans and green mung bean jelly has to be savoured to be appreciated but Tau Sar Pia (green bean biscuits) make a sweet souvenir to take home to your loved ones. These tea snacks are old favourites with everyone. A not-to-be-missed delight is the Durian , known as the King of Fruits. Its yellow creamy flesh exudes an exotic flavour close to none. A commercialised creativity of this fruit is the durian cake - a tasty, slightly spongy, brown congealed cooked mass of durian, coconut flower water, coconut milk, palm sugar, and glutinous rice. Penang's tantalizing spectrum of delicacies is unsurpassed by any part of Asia and invites an unstinting indulgence of the taste buds. |
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